Scenes
by bnomiko
Summary: A collection of short little scenes within my Kai-baby and Yami-kins ficverse, focusing on various side characters: Mahad, Isono, Shizuka, Valon, Amelda. ShonenAi. Prideshipping SetoYami main, with RafaelValonAmelda as well.
1. Crime Scene

Pairing(s): Yami + Seto, Noa + Mokuba, Rafael + Valon + Amelda  
><span>Warnings:<span> swearing  
><span>Disclaimer:<span> Yu-Gi-Oh! is the creation of Kazuki Takahashi. This is a not-for-profit fanwork and I do not own any of these characters.

**This is a SHONEN-AI fic (male + male romantic relationship). If you are offended by homosexual relationships, please do not read this. Flames will be disregarded.**

Setup for this arc:  
>- Since this arc spans several years it may weave in between other existing stories in my Kai-baby  Yami-kins ficverse.  
>- As a part of the above ficverse, the usual setup holds true - Noa has been brought out of the virtual world, has a new body, and is living with Mokuba and Seto, and Yami has his own body and is separate from Yugi.<p>

Setup for this particular fic:  
>- This story takes between chapter 1 of Sixteen (Going on Seventeen), "Growing Pains" and chapter 2 of Sixteen, "Gentlemen, Start Your Engines."<br>- Ages of characters in this story: Seto is 21, Yami is 20, Noa and Mokuba are 15.

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><p><strong>Crime Scene<strong>

**Scenes Series**

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><p><em>Damn car, go faster!<em> Seto raged even though he was easily doing at least double the speed limit on the road leading into his neighborhood. Thankfully it was late morning and the streets were relatively empty of both residents and cops, not that any of that was on his mind.

The young CEO had been at work for only two hours but was now rushing home as if the house were on fire. It might as well have been. Threats were threats, regardless of the type or the source…

Just thinking about it made his teeth clench in rage and his foot grind down even harder on the gas pedal. Despite all the security measures he'd taken, someone had managed to climb the wall surrounding the mansion grounds and gotten onto the property while Yami was at home, asleep.

At least he was being kept up to date on things as they were happening, now that Yami was up and about. Nothing was damaged; no one was hurt, not even the intruder. A security officer had chased the man down – apparently the intruder had been running away from a furious Kuriboh – and tackled him. The police had been called and were already on scene. Isono was there too, having left Kaiba Corp. the second he'd heard about it.

Seto had followed suit mere minutes later, yet it felt to him like he wasn't doing enough, like he hadn't acted fast enough.

His heart wouldn't stop pounding even when he pulled past the gates and spotted Yami on the front lawn, wedged between two ponies, Isono and another security guard. The ex-spirit was only wearing a robe and lounge pants and his hair was a bit messy, but otherwise he looked perfectly fine as he waved at Seto. That still didn't make the tall duelist feel better. Seto hit the brakes hard, jumped out of the car, and ran over to engulf Yami in a huge hug.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Seto asked breathlessly.

Yami tried to pull away just a bit so that he wasn't having to answer into Seto's chest, but when his lover wouldn't relent he sighed and mentally told him, _I'm fine. Really. The guy didn't get close to the house. I didn't even see anything until after the fact._

With his face still half buried in Yami's hair, Seto barked at Isono, "What happened?"

The security chief jerked to attention and tried to arrange what little he'd learned into a coherent summary. "Well, uh… Mr. Kaiba, we were unable to get much information out of the intruder. He did not appear to be stable or cooperative. Thankfully Mahad was able to stop him promptly and hold him until the police arrived."

Seto looked the other guard over. The man was tall and slender, with dark hair and a tan complexion. For a moment Seto felt a sense of déjà vu wash over him… he was almost certain he knew this man from some place, and not just from seeing him out of the corner of his eye in the lobby or as a blur in the guard station outside the house. Even odder was the strange combination of trust and dislike that struck at the same moment. He had no idea why he had such a strong reaction to someone he'd just met, but he chalked it up to the fact that he was stressed out and unsettled at the moment.

On the heels of that initial reaction came Mahad's personnel file, popping into his head courtesy of his photographic memory. The man had been hired only a few weeks ago. He had first come to Domino as a military guard accompanying the priceless ancient artifacts that had been on display when Ishizu Ishtar had first met Seto's acquaintance. He had apparently liked Domino enough to move back a few years later, accompanied by his younger cousin Mana, the tiny sprite of a girl who'd been working in their stables for the past several months. She'd given him an application for a position on the security team; he'd interviewed well with both Isono and Mokuba and had Ishizu's recommendation on top of that, so Seto had approved the hire without ever meeting him.

Well, formal introductions could wait until later. Seto lifted his hand and gestured at his own temple. The guard removed his sunglasses and tucked them into a pocket, receiving a nod in return.

"All right, so what happened?" Seto asked, wanting a first hand account of what had occurred. It was important; he needed to know if they needed more guards, more cameras… or razor wire and a pack of attack dogs.

"I was on duty monitoring the cameras and thought I saw movement on one of the screens. Though I thought it was unlikely that someone could have scaled the wall, I went to investigate after informing my fellow guard of my intentions. I then noticed a figure moving about behind security housing. When I requested that he identify himself, he began running. I gave chase. Your… little horses joined in, startling and distracting the intruder. I was able to catch up and throw him to the ground and hold him until authorities arrived."

So there wasn't much else to the story, at least not at this point in time. Seto made a mental note to contact the police later for additional information. He really wanted to know who the intruder was, whether he really was just some crazy person who'd chosen the wrong wall to jump, or if he was a stalker or some other form of threat gunning for his family. "I see…"

"He would not have reached the house. I would've staked my life on it; I know Mr. Yami was inside," Mahad added.

"Just 'Yami' is fine," the ex-spirit muttered into Seto's shirt, not that anyone could hear him.

Seto finally released Yami to slowly, thoughtfully scratch his ponies behind their ears. Kuriboh and Kuribon seemed satisfied with their reward for their part in the intruder's capture and after a minute went back to grazing in circles around the group.

The young billionaire turned his attention back to Mahad, staring right into the man's eyes. Mahad met his gaze and held it. While it was a relief to know that Mahad understood what was important, Seto wondered why this guard was so eagerly offering to protect Yami with his life. Was he that dedicated to duty, or…

Seto fought the urge to scowl since they were still having a staring contest. Could Mahad have some interest in Yami? The guy did come to Domino all the way from Egypt… and Seto found it hard to believe he'd do so just because he'd become enamored of the city. Maybe he was a closet Duel Monsters fanatic and wanted to get closer to the King of Games? Or maybe he'd noticed that Yami was the pharaoh on the memorial tablet and that had gotten his attention? That seemed a bit farfetched, but Seto always figured it was better to be paranoid than blissfully unaware.

Still, loyalty was paramount. He'd just have to keep an eye on Mahad, make sure he didn't get too friendly with Yami, and everything would be fine.

"Thank you," Seto finally said, breaking the silent stalemate. But he couldn't resist slinging an arm around Yami's shoulders to pull him close again, all while watching Mahad's reaction.

If Mahad thought anything of it, he gave no sign. He simply nodded courteously.

Yami looked up at the two of them, then turned back to his boyfriend. Seto was being weird but then again, he tended to act up when stressed – thankfully Mokuba and Noa hadn't been the ones at home! But Yami thought his boyfriend was overreacting in this case, just a bit. After all, even if the intruder had gotten into the house, he was far from helpless. _By the way, if it came down to it, you know I can protect myself,_ Yami pointed out as he folded his arms across his bare chest, looking almost regal despite the robe and pajamas.

Seto's lips twitched into a smile. _Yes, but you shouldn't have to._

_I just don't want you to worry._

Isono had been watching them carefully during their silent exchange, but once he noticed that they were most likely done, he spoke up to assure his employer. "Mr. Kaiba, if you'd like… I could remain at the mansion today and check over our security equipment and procedures to ensure that this doesn't happen again. I'll also follow up with the authorities. And Mahad could assist at corporate for the remainder of the day."

Seto juggled his options in his head. The suggestion wasn't bad. If Isono said he'd take care of it, he would. But Mahad too had proven himself capable at his job. There was really no reason to pull both of them away from their duties, and yet… well, wouldn't this be the ideal opportunity for him to get a better read on Mahad?

So finally, Seto slowly nodded his assent and asked Mahad, "I assume you've been trained to perform a driver's duties as well?"

"Yes, sir."

"I'll have you drive me back to corporate then. I need to make up for the time I've lost this morning." Mahad gave him a quick bow and disappeared into the garage to fetch a suitable vehicle. "And Yami…"

"It'll be okay. Isono will be here; you know you can count on him," Yami reminded his boyfriend.

Seto nodded again. He wasn't going to relax until he got Isono's reports, but this was about a good a result as he could expect, given the circumstances.

_Besides, Mahad seems very reliable, as reliable as Isono. I think he's a good fit for this position. So don't worry so much._

Seto quirked a brow at that. Maybe he ought to have Mahad and Isono switch shifts for the rest of the week…

_… He's not at all my type, you know._

Seto's other brow went up. He grunted.

Yami grinned. Seto's jealousy was unwarranted, but it also meant he'd found something to do with his mind other than worry all day. And that made Yami feel a lot better too. "Have a good rest of the day, Baby. I'll see you when you get home."

"Yeah…" _And Yami?_

_Hmm?_

_Could you just humor me and put on a shirt?_

Yami just laughed as he took Seto's hand and kissed it as the limo swung into view. _Yes, I will._

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><p>Author's Notes:<br>- Since someone will probably ask, the intruder in this story can be whatever you want to imagine him being (personally I'd say he's just a nutcase) as he's just a vehicle for the plot.  
>- As weird as it is to go back and throw Mahaado into the story, I did plan to work him in eventually. Of course my timing was off so I had to think of where this little story would best be situated, and given that he's referenced in "Changes" chapter 3, I had to reach back a bit further than anticipated to fit him in.<p> 


	2. Bar Scene

Warnings: swearing  
><span>Disclaimer:<span> Yu-Gi-Oh! is the creation of Kazuki Takahashi. Annie Hall is a film by Woody Allen and Marshall Brickman. The Crying Game is a film by Neil Jordan. This is a not-for-profit fanwork and I do not own any of these characters.

Setup for this particular fic:  
>- This story takes place after chapter 4 of Sixteen (Going on Seventeen), "At the Height of the Growing Season"  "Slippery When Wet" (not on ffnet) and chapter 1 of Changes, "Skyview on the 69th."

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><p><strong>Bar Scene<strong>

**Scenes Series**

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><p>Valon had already been to three bars but there was still no sign of his missing redhead. But Amelda wouldn't have gone too far; he was predictable that way. Problem was, there were just so many bars and taverns and restaurants that it was hard to narrow down the possibilities, especially on this particular day.<p>

… If Miruko were alive, he'd be 18 now. He'd be an adult. Amelda would be out celebrating with a cocktail or two, not drinking his liver to an early demise.

Valon sighed. He should've paid more attention to the calendar. It wasn't like he'd forgotten, but the week had gone by fast and he'd thought it was Wednesday when it was already Thursday, and so he hadn't thought anything of it when Amelda said he was going out for a while. It wasn't until Rafael got home with dinner that he'd realized his mistake… and immediately headed out to try and rectify it.

He had a headache and it wasn't going to go away anytime soon. But he wasn't mad… well, not really. He understood. He knew what it was like to have his life shattered, to lose everything, even the only person who gave a damn whether he lived or died. And then to be manipulated… to have his loneliness, grief and anger twisted to serve Dartz's needs…

_Ah, damn it! _

He'd been so busy feeling sorry for himself that he'd nearly collided with the car in front of him at the stoplight. But maybe karma was at work, because when he looked around to regain his bearings, he saw a sign for a newly opened bar he'd never been to before. There'd been a different restaurant / bar at the location previously that they'd been to once or twice, so the location was familiar at least. Was it possible Amelda was there? Valon didn't see Amelda's bike but maybe he'd parked elsewhere, or in a lot.

"Might as well take a Captain Cook," he muttered to himself as he took a right around the corner and parked along the curb a block away.

Valon sauntered in through the back entrance. The place looked decent enough but being a Thursday night, there weren't many patrons, not that the redhead was trying to hide. Valon spotted Amelda almost instantly at the second seat at the bar. He was still in his work clothes: steampunk inspired military pants tightly fitted from the calf down, and a high collared, blousey white shirt with a little string tie around his throat. Dressed like that, with his maroon red hair grown out almost to his shoulders, he could easily shift from Annie Hall to Dil from The Crying Game, depending on what he wanted people to see. No wonder he'd already found himself an admirer…

There was a redfaced, balding man leaning against Amelda's shoulder, encouraging him to down the rest of the orange-colored drink in his hand. And Amelda wasn't doing anything to discourage it… In fact, he was laughing.

Forcing his fists open before he accidentally beat the tar out of someone, Valon quickly stepped up and pushed himself between the two.

"Fuck you, was 'ere firsht," redfaced guy slurred at Valon.

The Aussie scowled. What, was he suggesting they take turns with him? He very deliberately turned his back on the man, then told Amelda, "Hey now, that's enough," in as cheerful a voice as he could muster. It wasn't convincing at all.

Amelda looked up and smiled, though his smile was as fake as the cheer in Valon's voice. His face was flushed and his eyes a bit glazed over, but he was an old hat at the bar game. He didn't look so drunk that the bartender would stop serving him, but Valon knew better. Amelda could literally drink and drink and drink, then simply pass out.

"You'd step out on us that easily?" Valon quietly raged at Amelda.

The redhead's back stiffened slightly but he didn't say anything. Instead, his admirer opted to butt in. "Shithead, don't turn yer back on me!" the man growled after seeing Valon whispering in Amelda's ear.

Valon glanced over his shoulder, sizing up his opponent. The man was probably about Amelda's height, maybe an inch more, and at least 50 pounds heavier. That didn't deter Valon any; he was used to taking down bigger opponents, and besides, the man was soft, probably a middle class wage slave emboldened by liquid courage. He wasn't a fighter.

Valon sorely wanted to take the man down, but the bartender was already glaring in their direction, and he had promised both his partners that he'd use his fists only as a last resort after the last bar brawl he was in... So he just told the man, "Mind your own bizzo. This has nothing to do with you."

"What, this yer bitch or shomething?" the man sneered.

Eyes flashing, Valon turned around completely, straightened up to his full height and spat out, "He's not a bitch and he sure as hell's not leaving here with some flabby, pasty old fart like you!"

The man's face turned even redder at the insult, but when the entirety of Valon's statement began sinking in, he suddenly sobered up for a moment, his eyes widening. He leaned forward to get a better look at Amelda since Valon was standing in his way, squinting at the Adam's apple just beneath the collar of the shirt, then began cursing up a storm, interlacing it with every vile epithet he could think of. The bartender quickly stepped in to try and diffuse things – given the area and clientele, it wasn't good for business.

Valon ignored the guy and returned his attention to Amelda. "Well, coming or no?"

Seeing that the party was over, the redhead sighed, then slowly rose to his feet. He seemed stable enough at first, but after a few steps began listing to one side. Valon grabbed his arm with one hand, steadying him, then grabbed his phone with the other and began dialing for Rafael as they began making their way out the door.

The conversation was brief. Valon told the blonde he'd found their wayward boyfriend and since both his and Amelda's bikes only comfortably seated one – and Amelda was in no state to ride two-up anyhow - could he please come pick them up? He gave Rafael the cross streets and the name of the bar, just in case, then hung up before leading Amelda to a concrete bench on the edge of the back parking lot.

"Sit down. You look like you're going to puke," Valon said.

The taller man slowly sat down without protest.

They remained on the bench a few minutes, silently watching the cars pass by as the sky went from dusky lavender to faded gray, then Amelda suddenly whispered, "I wouldn't have left… with that guy."

"Yet you accepted all those drinks? What's a fellow supposed to think?"

Amelda swallowed, tasting bitterness from more than just the alcohol. He was struggling to make sure his sentences were coherent; he needed Valon to understand. "… wouldn't do that to you," he insisted again, his voice still low and strained.

"I don't even care about that!" Valon snapped. "What bothers me is you do this to yourself. And you keep doing it, over and over..."

The Aussie paused a moment, gauging Amelda's reaction, making sure he was following along, then continued. "What would've happened if I hadn't shown up? What if you'd gotten so wasted that you blacked out, and that guy decided to take you to his place to 'sober up?' What do you THINK would've happened once he got your pants off and discovered you weren't a damsel in distress?"

Amelda flushed. "Don't know…"

"You don't know…" Valon repeated bitterly. "Do you even care?"

Amelda merely shrugged helplessly.

Valon took in a deep breath, fighting in vain to hold back his anger, but there was no stopping it. "If Miroku were here, you think he'd want to hear that?"

Amelda was normally pretty slow to anger, even more so when drunk. But upon hearing Valon's words, he exploded. "Fuck you, you didn't even 'member! You don't have the right…"

"I do, because if you're not going to take care of yourself, then someone has to. And yeah, I lost track of the day. But I didn't forget. I just… I thought today was Wednesday," Valon confessed. He swallowed hard, but kept his gaze steady, trying to convey sincerity in his words.

Amelda's eyes narrowed a little as he tried to figure out if that was the truth, or just a convenient lie. But after a tense moment, he slumped a little and sighed. Valon may have had a lot of flaws - for example, a complete lack of tact, an inability to read a calendar… but there was one thing he wasn't: a liar.

"So you felt obligated to come find me..." Amelda mumbled, sounding drained but much more coherent than before. The earlier burst of anger had sobered him up as fast as a slap to the face.

"Obligated? You don't think I care? If I didn't, would I be out here looking for you, you ass?"

Both the words and tone were harsh, but there was something comforting about such blunt honesty.

"Yeah, I fucked up," Valon admitted. "But I'm tired of having to drag your drunk ass home every time you get in one of your moods, which seems to be most of the time."

"Sorry…"

The brunette made a grumbling sound, then his voice softened, grew lower. "I'm not gonna tell you to get over it. I know you won't – you can't. You and Rafael both. But you have to stop punishing yourself like this. It won't change anything. It won't make things any better."

Amelda looked up at the sky for a moment, then shut his eyes. His head was starting to hurt. The sounds of cars, of gulls overhead, seemed too loud. "What am I supposed to do then?" he wondered out loud.

"Live. Just live, and do the best you can."

Amelda gave a short laugh. He didn't know how else to react. Revenge had once been his one motivator, but when he'd lost that, he'd felt like he had lost his way too. The alcohol had helped hide that truth… or so he'd thought. Perhaps it hadn't helped at all… "I wish it were so simple."

"Try, mate. That's all I'm asking." Valon paused, then leaned forward a little and squinted. It looked like Rafael's car was just coming around the corner. So he stood up, glanced back at Amelda, and said, "Look, I know come hell or high water, you're gonna get blotto tonight. But just do it at home. I'll drink with you."

"You will?" Valon was usually the sober one - Rafael didn't count since it wasn't by choice for him - so the offer was unexpected.

Valon smiled thinly and nodded.

Amelda sighed. He knew when to admit defeat, although… in this case, it wasn't a loss either. He wasn't ready to make any promises – he wasn't even sure that he wanted to change – but Valon had asked him to just try, and he supposed that wasn't too much to ask. Besides, he could use a drinking buddy for the night… well, another one, since it was a pretty good bet Rafael already had some vodka chilling in the fridge.

So he returned the nod, then slowly stood up as well. He was going to be sick as a dog tomorrow; that was unavoidable. But at least he wouldn't be alone.

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><p>Author's Notes:<br>-Re: Aussie slang. "Captain Cook" = take a look. "Bizzo" = business. "Blotto" = drunk. Also keep in mind I'm getting these colloquialisms from a "dictionary" of Aussie slang – they might not be exactly what one would use in conversation (as many folks Down Under have told me : ) ), but the main idea is to give Valon a voice that's unique to his character.  
>- The inspiration for this chapter was a comment I received years ago when someone complained that the Doom guys were in a dysfunctional relationship and didn't seem to care about each other. Or maybe they didn't word it that way, but that's what I got out of it (my memory is bad!) Anyhow, while it may not be in a healthy relationship, that isn't necessarily what they're seeking here. I think companionship, understanding… in this case, for these guys, those may be more important. But I do think they care about each other… and not all relationships are built on love, at least not the fairy tale type of love.<p> 


	3. Hiring Scene

Disclaimer: Yu-Gi-Oh! is the creation of Kazuki Takahashi. This is a not-for-profit fanwork and I do not own any of these characters.

Setup for this particular fic:  
>- This story takes place after chapter 4 of Changes, "Victory Lap."<p>

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><p><strong>Hiring Scene<strong>

**Scenes Series**

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><p>Shizuka forced herself to breathe slowly, trying to hide her nervousness as she waited alongside the other applicants. She hadn't known that the part-time, junior executive assistant position advertised on the online job board had been for a position directly under the Kaibas. She'd only found out once she'd arrived for the initial interview and, instead of being sent to a hiring manager or HR representative, had been escorted to the executive suites on the top floor.<p>

Ms. Nozaka, Seto's senior executive assistant, had conducted the first interview. Of course she'd known who Shizuka was, but she'd still had a job to do and procedures to follow. She'd started with a detailed explanation of the position – apparently the job was part-time because Mokuba and Noa only worked part-time, though it would eventually transition into a full-time position, and she'd mainly be supporting the other two secretaries while handling special assignments from Noa as needed. Then Ms. Nozaka went through the usual line of questions about her level of work experience, computer skills, and the usual "Where do you see yourself five years from now" sort of thing. She had jotted down some notes, asked if there were any further questions, then gave Shizuka a card with a time and date for a second interview.

Round two had been more of the same, except that Mokuba had been the interviewer. That had been slightly awkward, but he was a good kid, and he'd been kind and reassuring. It wouldn't be so bad working for him and Noa, she'd thought, if she could get over the fact that her bosses were also her younger friends. But she wasn't sure if she could handle working for their older brother…

She thought about all the rumors that swirled around Seto Kaiba, as a boss. He was loud and demanding and had a short temper. He was unforgiving of mistakes. But at the same time, he wasn't unrealistic or unfair in his expectations. And those who were loyal and productive found themselves well compensated for their dedication.

And as a person, well, it wasn't that she disliked Seto or was _that_ intimidated by him. She had just never really understood him… the way he thought, the way he acted. Of all her friends and acquaintances, he was the most distant, the most unapproachable, and that was _with _Yami's influence! So she'd always found it easier to smile politely and make small talk as needed, and nothing else.

Plus she already knew what her brother would say if he knew she was there. He'd turn red and holler, "No way in hell is my little sis working for that stuck up bastard!" or something in that vein. But even though Shizuka had heard stories of how Seto used to be, she didn't really share in her brother's views, since the worst the young billionaire had done to her was ignore her.

She'd worry about explaining it to her brother later. No point in thinking about it when she still had the toughest interview to get through…

She looked around the lobby again, while continuing to feign interest in the magazine in her hands. Seto had to be going through the candidates at a pretty good clip; half of the dozen or so applicants that had been sitting there were already gone. She couldn't help but compare herself to the others that were left.

There were two guys and four girls, including herself. They were all about the same age, college students or very recent graduates… all bright-eyed and eager to land an entry-level position in a high profile company. She wondered how her resume compared to theirs.

"Ms. Kawai?"

_Oh, finally… _Shizuka mentally sighed in relief. She stood up and gave a polite little nod as Ms. Nozaka came over to get her. The woman gave her a reassuring smile, then walked her to the set of wooden doors at the far end of the room.

Shizuka stepped in as the doors clicked shut behind her. She'd never been in there before and couldn't help but take a quick look around. Seto's office was palatial, to say the least. It was at least as big as her living room, if not more… and Otogi had a huge house. There were dragons everywhere, of course. She spotted one near the door that looked to be as tall as Seto. And the man himself was standing in the center of the room by his desk, a tall, imposing figure next to his equally imposing desk.

Yami was there too, leaning against the edge of the desk as if he owned the place. He really was a far friendlier man than Seto. But knowing that didn't help put her at ease. If there was anyone who could be more intimating than the young CEO, it had to be his rival turned lover. Yami was an ancient king brought back to life. And he could use magic – he'd threatened her brother with it before, right in front of her. She just couldn't wrap her mind around something like that. So while she didn't dislike him, she'd be lying if she said she wasn't a bit afraid of him sometimes.

Thankfully, Noa and Mokuba were also in attendance…

Seto approached her with his hand outstretched. She shook it, that awkward feeling returning with how… business-like they were being. But at least he was behaving like it was a normal, proper interview, which meant he was considering her for the position, she figured. And really, what else could she have expected? Him to greet her with a hug like they were the best of friends? That would've been beyond awkward!

"Please have a seat, Ms. Kawai," Seto said, gesturing at a chair across the table from his.

"Thank you." She sat down and folded her hands in her lap. Seto took his seat as well. Mokuba and Noa seemed content to stand like bookends around their brother while Yami remained where he was.

Seto pushed aside the collection of resumes on his desk, looked her right in the eye and said, "I'll make this simple: I don't care about the nature of your relationship with Otogi and Honda…"

Shizuka opened her mouth, ready to explain – or protest - whatever assumption Seto was making. But one look from Seto and she shut her mouth again. He was expecting her to hear him out, and so she would.

"… but if I hire you, can you keep your personal life separate from your work life?"

She wasn't sure what exactly Seto was asking, or why. "Umm…"

"What my brother means is, if you're hired, you'll have to be careful about what you say about Kaiba Corp. business. Otogi's sorta in the same industry, you know? Even if he doesn't mean to ask, even if you don't mean to tell him… trade secrets aren't something you can let slip out."

Shizuka felt herself nodding along. Mokuba had a good point; it made sense. The executive assistants saw a lot of confidential documents and communications pass their desks. "I understand. I can keep quiet," she replied, and as if to illustrate the point, left it at that.

Seto gave her a curt nod, then turned to his brothers. "Well, what do you think?"

Were they going to make the decision right there, just like that? Right in front of her? Without any further questions or consideration for the other candidates or anything else?

She held her breath, still unsure if she was overthinking things, if maybe she'd been expecting too much from the start, applying for even an entry-level job like this when she'd only had some reception and data processing type experience going in, when Mokuba spoke up.

"I approve," the black-haired teen said. "She is _Shizu_ka, after all."

"Enough that we still haven't figured out her whole 'roommate' situation," Noa mumbled, trying to keep his voice low so his words wouldn't carry across the table. Shizuka didn't look at him and didn't respond, so Mokuba wasn't sure if she'd heard it, but still he cleared his throat loudly and Seto looked from one to the other, brows twitching. "Well, I guess it's fine with me then, considering..." Noa finally stated.

Seto nodded at his brothers, then paused to look at Yami. The shorter man simply inclined his head gracefully after several seconds.

Seto turned his attention back to Shizuka. He sat back slightly in his seat and steepled his fingers. "I'd like you to start beginning of next week if possible, but if that's not doable…"

"Wait…" Shizuka began stammering. She glanced at Yami, wondering what he might've said to Seto, but the ex-spirit just smiled at her. "Um, I just… I don't have an answer yet. About the start date, I mean. I wasn't expecting it to happen this fast. And there's still some people waiting to be interviewed…"

Seto stared at her. "You don't want the job?"

"No. I mean, yes, I do want it! Thank you, Kai… er, Mr. Kaiba."

"You should know by now, Ms. Kawai, I make decisions quickly, for better or for worse." Shizuka quickly nodded in agreement, which made Seto crack a smile. "But I'd like to think I made the right decision here."

"… I'll do my best."

"Good. Because that's what I expect from all my employees." Seto paused a moment, typed something rapidly on his computer, then instructed her, "Stop by Nozaka's desk on the way out. You'll be making arrangements with her as to your start date. Once you're ready, of course."

She swiftly bowed her head a little, mimicking what she'd seen other employees do. "Thank you, sir."

Seto grunted, though it wasn't a sound of displeasure. He stood up and offered her his hand again, shaking it firmly, sealing the deal. "Welcome to Kaiba Corp."

* * *

><p><span>Author's Notes:<span>  
>- Re: Shizuka's name. "Shizu" = calm, quiet and "ka" = air, scent. Mokuba was taking the "shizu" literally when he made his comment.<br>- The part where Shizuka says that Yami threatened her brother refers to a scene in chapter 2 of "Aftershocks" where Jou threatens to punch Seto and Yami "steps in" to protect him.


	4. Dating Scene

Disclaimer: Yu-Gi-Oh! is the creation of Kazuki Takahashi. This is a not-for-profit fanwork and I do not own any of these characters.

Setup for this particular fic:  
>- This story takes after chapter 3 of Scenes, "Hiring Scene."<p>

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><p><strong>Dating Scene<strong>

**Scenes Series**

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><p>"Excuse me, Fumie Samurakami…?"<p>

The woman looked up from her drink to see a flustered looking man in a suit running up to her table. "Yes. You must be Isono?"

He bowed several times, bobbing like a drinking bird. "I'm so sorry! Something came up at work… I hope you haven't been waiting too long."

"It's all right, I know it can't be helped sometimes."

"Still, I did not mean to inconvenience you Samura…"

She waved it off, a little embarrassed by the formality. "Just Fumie is fine." She held her hand out. "It's nice to meet you."

"Ah… likewise." He shook her hand, then took a seat across from her.

Fumie studied him as they began making small talk about the menu. She had to admit, he was nothing like what she'd imagined. When her cousin had mentioned the possibility of setting her up on a blind date with her husband's boss, the Chief of Security at Kaiba Corp., she had expected someone really authoritative. Someone imposing. Guys like that weren't her type at all, but her cousin has assured her that Isono was a nice man, nothing like the bullheaded guard dog she was imagining. But all that said, Fumie hadn't expected the complete opposite either - a stammering, apologetic man with damp palms, one that looked more like a mild mannered businessman than a security officer of any sort, save the sunglasses.

To be fair, blind dates could be pretty nervewracking. Maybe he was just really nervous… and since he'd just gotten out of work, maybe his mind was still at the office.

"So do sunglasses come standard with your uniform?" she joked once the server had come and taken their order. He still hadn't taken them off. She wondered if they were glued to his face. She remembered her cousin's husband laughing when he told her they wore them even at night.

"Oh! I forgot…" He quickly swept them off, tucked them into his jacket pocket, and sheepishly looked back at his date, earning him an amused smile.

It wasn't exactly love at first sight, but he did think she was attractive. She had a long face and eyes the color of coffee, all framed by a fall of nearly black hair. And although it was hard to tell since she was seated, he knew from his coworker's description of her that she was tall and athletic too. She liked swimming and hiking. He also knew she worked at a department store, at the beauty counter, and had been at the position for two years. Before that she'd worked at a different store location, in her hometown. And she was divorced, with no children. Yes, he'd memorized the information on her appearance and lifestyle as if it had been written in a personnel file.

"Do you like your job?" she asked.

He brightened up. "Yes, I do."

"Isn't it hard to be head of a security department? Isn't it dangerous?" she wondered.

"Not really. But it's not easy either; I have to wear many hats. Sometimes I'm a manager, sometimes a chauffeur, or a company spokesman, a bodyguard, a referee, an advisor, an executive assistant. I'm definitely never bored." He paused, then added, "As busy as I am, there's still nothing else I'd rather do." It occurred to him he ought to add something else, either about who he was outside of work or redirecting it into a topic that might be more interesting for Fumie, but he couldn't think of anything. "Um, so do you like your job?" he ended up parroting.

Fumie smiled slightly. Talking about his job seemed to bring Isono out of his shell. And although the last thing she wanted to think about right after work was work itself, she knew it was a pretty obvious thing to discuss. "It's okay. It's not like yours. Not very exciting." She paused a moment, then said with a small laugh, "I admit, I haven't been on a date in… well, a while. I forgot how awkward it can be."

"Same here."

Hearing that they had that in common should have made Isono feel a little more at ease, but he wasn't sure where to go from there. He began nibbling thoughtfully at some bread as he thought about it. He didn't really want to ask about her prior relationships since the divorce could still be a sore spot for her. It wasn't like he wanted to open the can of worms that was his own personal life, either.

"No luck with relationships? Well, not that I should talk…" Fumie said thoughtfully after a minute. Isono stared at her. Then she asked, "You haven't been married before, right?"

"No." He grimaced inwardly. Apparently she didn't mind talking about it. Now he felt obligated to respond in kind. "I was engaged once…" Isono finally admitted.

"Oh?"

She seemed curious, but it was a long story, and Isono wasn't sure he wanted to explain beyond that. "Things didn't work out," he said simply, though that was neither an accurate or satisfactory answer.

He'd been truthful about the fact that he'd been engaged. But it almost didn't feel real, like it'd been a distant dream, a lifetime ago.

He'd met his fiancée at a company picnic. She'd been working as a clerk in the accounting department at Kaiba Corp.… the old Kaiba Corp., with Gozaburo at the helm. He'd been just another security officer. But life had been pretty good then. A promising future had seemed easily within reach.

Then literally days after he'd accepted a promotion to a coveted position at the mansion itself, Gozaburo's son Noa died. Like his fellow employees, he'd mourned the boy's untimely passing though he hadn't really known him at the time – but it was his boss' son, so they'd all felt the loss. Gozaburo had seemed inconsolable at first, but then one afternoon not too long after the accident, he'd come home with a pair of brothers he planned on adopting.

The timing had seemed odd, but Isono hadn't questioned his boss' decision, until he'd started noticing how strange the relationship was between Gozaburo and Seto. They didn't seem to like one another from the get go, but at the same time Gozaburo had shown interest in everything the boy did and spent much of his free time with him.

One day, Isono's supervisor had sent him to do a "spot check" – he was to make sure that Seto was studying and if not, escort him to Gozaburo's office. Isono hadn't been sure what it all meant, but he'd complied. And sure enough, he had found Seto sleeping at his desk, his head resting on top of a thick textbook. He'd approached, reaching out to wake him, and the boy had surprised him by suddenly jerking awake, turning to stare at him with wide eyes.

"Are you all right, young master?" Isono had asked as Seto immediately turned away from him. The boy had already begun to slump a little. He'd looked noticeably tired, maybe even ill.

"I suppose… I'll need to go see my father," Seto had said in a low tone before standing up on shaky legs. Isono had noticed then that the boy was wearing a dog collar… was that a fashion trend amongst youngsters that he'd been unaware of?

"Yes."

They'd gone to see Gozaburo without exchanging any more words.

"Was he asleep?" Gozaburo had asked the moment they'd stepped into his office.

"Yes, sir," Isono had truthfully answered, thinking that he'd be told to make sure Seto got to bed and got some rest.

Instead, Gozaburo had risen to his feet, stepped forward with quick strides and slapped Seto across the face with enough force to knock him into Isono.

The security officer had reacted instinctively in reaching out to catch Seto, to steady him. He'd been shocked into silence by both the violence and by Seto's almost non-reaction. The boy had grunted when the blow struck his cheek, but then he'd pushed away from Isono to stand silently before Gozaburo, his bangs hanging down, nearly obscuring his eyes. Maybe it'd been enough to shield them from Gozaburo. But Isono had been standing at the right angle to see just between the strands of brown hair. He'd expected to find fear. Instead, the boy's eyes had been glazed over, as if exhaustion – and experience - had numbed him to the pain.

Seeing that, Isono had found his voice once again. Without taking a moment to consider the consequences, he'd placed his hand back on Seto's shoulder and blurted out, "Even though you're his father, you had no right to hit him. He did nothing wrong!"

"I had no right?" Gozaburo had begun laughing. "I have every right to treat my _property_ how I see fit. Who do you think you are to tell me otherwise?" He'd reached out, hooked his thumb around the metal D-ring on Seto's collar, and jerked him away from Isono. The boy had gone to his father's side without further resistance. "Obviously, you're fired. Now get out of my sight!"

Isono had known that that was coming the moment Gozaburo had looked him in the eye and laughed at him. But as bad as it'd been to be dismissed, what had hurt far worse was seeing Seto standing there, roughed up and pale, and knowing there wasn't anything else he could do for the boy. Gozaburo had been too powerful an opponent; Isono had heard the rumors. He hadn't wanted to "disappear" just because he'd gone to the authorities with what he'd witnessed…

As much as it had bothered him, at least that was that… or so he'd thought. His fiancée had been fired the next day. The job market at the time hadn't been bad, so he'd thought they'd be okay, but he'd been wrong. Somehow they'd been blacklisted or something. He'd go for an interview and things would seem promising, but then he'd get a call back saying that he didn't get the position after all, and no one had been willing to give him a reason why. Days had stretched into weeks, then months. Guilt ridden, he'd shared his concerns with his fiancée that their former employer had something to do with their situation. She had blamed him… and then she left him.

In the end the only job he'd found was at a car wash, with a rather unsavory boss who didn't care about things like job references or tax laws. He didn't mind working hard, but it'd been disheartening to face the fact that he'd lost everything and was now trapped in a menial, dead end position.

A few years passed. Then one day, an immaculate white limousine had shown up at the car wash and a teenager stepped out and approached him. Isono had barely recognized him... Seto's eyes had still been guarded, but was no longer a little boy struggling under Gozaburo's thumb. The former CEO had died and Kaiba Corp. was now under new management, with a new focus: games. And Seto had come, he claimed, because he'd been looking through old personnel files and was in the process of beefing up his security staff...

Isono had gladly accepted the offer, even though it had meant starting over as just another security grunt working back-to-back crap shifts. But he'd been grateful for the opportunity and worked hard to meet his new boss' expectations.

When Seto had begun working on a "special project," Death-T, Isono had thought something wasn't quite right about it, but at the same time he hadn't been involved and so hadn't a clue just how far Seto was willing to go for revenge. Seto had never given Isono a reason for why he'd been excluded, and Isono had never asked, but regardless of the reason, Isono had only learned about the details once it was all over.

With Seto in a coma and his duelist's reputation at an all time low, the company had begun falling apart. But Isono had remained loyal even as many of his fellow security guards defected to Pegasus' Industrial Illusions or the Big Five, even when many more had fled from Dartz's hostile takeover of Kaiba Corp.

He'd almost thrown all that away when he'd stood up for Yami, just like he'd stood up for Seto all those years ago. But he'd seen how Seto's eyes lit up when he was with his boyfriend, how much Yami cared for him in return, and he couldn't bear to stand by a second time and do nothing while Seto was hurting. He'd been fired again for it. But unlike Gozaburo, Seto had come to his senses and rehired him, and even thanked him for having done the right thing, difficult as it'd been.

Yami had approached him a week or so after that and asked Isono why he'd done it, knowing that he'd been risking his job. It was the first time he'd told anyone else his story, maybe the first time anyone had cared to know. It had been nice, having someone who really understood…

"Isono?" Fumie said gently. She sighed when he finally looked at her, blinking. "I'm sorry, that must have brought up a bad memory."

He wondered how long he'd been spacing out. "No. Well, I mean… I was just thinking…"

"About your ex?"

Isono gave a small shrug. "About my boss, I suppose."

"Even though you aren't at work right now?" She sighed again. "Is he that much more interesting than me?"

"N… no, of course not! I'm just… dedicated to my job. And I'd left some work unfinished before coming…"

She smiled a little. "I was just kidding…"

The awkward silence settled back around them. Isono began wondering if there was an acceptable way to end a date early, without offending the other person. It wasn't that Fumie wasn't a nice lady… she was. But he was being a very poor date. He regretted that he'd let his coworkers talk him into it, when he hadn't really been looking for a relationship. Or was he being unfair? They had simply been looking out for him. And it wasn't like he'd been forced into it. Even he had thought it was worth giving it a shot, and she had seemed a suitable match on paper… "Uh, so… Well…"

And then his phone rang. Isono looked at the number, then stood up, bowed and said, "I'm sorry, I'll be right back," before stepping out to handle the call.

By the time he got back, their entrees had arrived… and he'd gotten the out he'd wanted – he had been summoned back to the office at his earliest convenience. For a moment Isono entertained the thought of taking his food to go, but the date was already enough of a flop without that. Fumie deserved better. He regretted he couldn't offer her more. The least he could do was be courteous and see it through.

He apologized again as he sat down. Fumie gave a shake of her head. "You really live for your work don't you?"

"It's who I am," Isono answered quietly.

"My ex always said the same." She studied him a minute longer, then sat back and told him, "You're a nice man, but you're married to your job. And I can see you're dying to get out of here. It's fine."

Isono glanced at his watch, then looked back at her. He wasn't in _that_ much of a hurry. Some things could wait. "If it's all right, I'd rather stay and finish having dinner with you."

Fumie almost said no. She didn't want him to stay out of obligation, or because he pitied her, but she didn't want to eat alone either. "Are you sure?"

"Food always tastes better with friends." He took a sip of his drink.

"Friends…" At least he was honest. She liked that about him. Too bad that was far as they could go. But the date wasn't a total loss. She relaxed her shoulders and even slouched a bit in her chair. Now that it was no longer really a date, she didn't have to worry about keeping up appearances. "Why not, we're already here," she said agreeably.

* * *

><p>Author's Notes:<br>- In the back of my mind, I've always wondered why Isono was so loyal to Seto when it seemed the norm for KC security members to turn traitor. You also don't see him until well after Death-T… and then he's suddenly there and even gets a name and a personality, which is pretty unique amongst the security guys (minus Saruwatari, who only got a name so that Mokuba could recognize him as a turncoat I guess?) So he was due to get a bit of back story.


End file.
